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Make sure to use better tires than he did, I have it on video failing pretty miserably with the Thornbirds.

And so you know. The guy who owned this complained about complete lack of visibility.

Doesn't look like he air them down much! lol

Yeah.....visibility has been considered.

A few ideas to address that.

1) The forward rake of the body......I want it to have the rump roast in the air and nose pointed down.

2) 3" spacer under the seats, seats forward and higher than stock location. (stock seat spacers from the trooper bolt right up to EA81 seats)

3) No windshield..........and likely no roof for that matter. The top will be a roll cage (gonna get some help fabbing this part Pro-Style, Safety First)....so I can sit more upright and not hit the top of windshield frame. It doesn't really have a roof as it is, since the large sunroof that is basically the whole top blew away while towing (I wasn't part of that towing, for the record)

4) There will be no trunk, and the very rear panel will be chopped down an bit turning the trunk into a mini truck bed/spare tire storage (think trophy truck)

5) Half doors with Amo can armrests.

And with all that said......it's unlike to ever see snow. This will be a 3 season wheeler considering it's basically gonna be an open buggy.

Sunday I worked on getting the body into position on some pillars to roll the subframe underneath. This also accomplishes getting the trailer cleared off to haul the frame over. My buddy was gracious engouh to let me do this in his nice, flat, paved driveway......rather than my slanted gravel mess at my house.

So with the body perched 40" in the air, I gotta get the frame/drivetrain fisished up enough to install under the body.

Today's job......Final mounting of transfer case. Re-used one of the nissan mounts and 2 cut pieces of a Legacy rear diff mount to mount it. I made it to be easily removable, and with the one short mount in front, and 2 long in the rear.......the rear frame can twist a bit and the long arms and rubber bushings of the legecy mounts will allow alot of flex.

Last thing today, I mapped out the reinforcement plates for the front/rear junction....First, cut out of cardboard.

Then traced out on a piece of 3/8ths plate. Cuts and welds to come tommorrow. Then final slag removal end painting.....a final and full bolt installation, and the frame will be ready to mount under the body.

Well, after being able to roll it around some I found the steering rack was not in the right place. Toe was correct straight ahead but as you turned the wheel, the toe would go WAAAAY inward. Not good.

A look up under my buddy's stock 86 Trooper Diesel revealed that the stock draglink/centerlink moved in a location further up, and back from where I mounted the rack. This centerlink location is where I really need to place the steering rack to keep the stock Geometry.

The post above pic shows how the steering was, in relation to the diff mount/mustache bar.

And here is how it is now. Had to notch the channel the rack is mounted in. And relocate the mustache bar above the rack.

Here was the other issue that's fixed now. The frame rail curve was forcing me to mount the rack lower than I wanted whilst in the first position. Moving it back placed it JUST inside the curve so I could get it higher up, perhaps a 1/2" or less forward of the stock location.

.I think it will be good enough seeing as this thing will never see pavement......I dunno.....gotta hook it up behind a cart and pull it around the lot to test the steering a bit more maybe.

Also, here is the rear diff mount plate. Recyled piece of Rubicon transfercase plate, and the outer end of the stock trooper crossmember.

A bit ugly but tough as heck. Tried heating this jeep plate to bend and it would not budge, cherry red hot.....it's strong steel for the thickness. I like how it sticks out to the sides some and gaurds the Inner axle cups a bit.

Front view.......narrow offset Nissan rims used for rolling it under the body between the logs. lol.. The wheels for it will be wider offset and not look so stupid. Camber should settle out once the weight of the engine is in and it's on 33's

It fit perfect on the mounts I made. Still needs alot of work

Engine, Trans, Drivelines, Brakes.....and that's after I actually fully finish attaching the body. But this thing WILL be moshin' the pit by April. Game back on.

is the frame gonna get moved backwards a bit?It looks all sorts of wrong.

It needs to be shoved about 1 inch back from where it sits to meet the mounts I've made, but mostly that's the way it will sit. The front wheels are intentionally waaay forward of stock. Front fenders will get trimmed out and flared for clearance Baja style.

The rear wheel wells will get trimmed out for the wheel clearance. But not much....remember the rear wheels travel backwards in their arc when compressed.

The body behind the rear wheel will get chopped out for departure angle.